


Rule of Three

by silversash



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Break Up, Drama, F/F, Fluff, Hosie, henelope - Freeform, phosie, posie - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:14:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25022230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silversash/pseuds/silversash
Summary: “There's a reason we don’t know anybody else in a relationship like ours Josie.” Penelope spoke again, rather tonelessly. “Three is a crowd, like everybody says. This isn't working, it hasn't been for a while now.”Josie Saltzman's perfect life comes crashing down the night she loses the two loves of her life, but little does she know she's not the only one struggling to move on with her life.
Relationships: Hope Mikaelson/Josie Saltzman, Hope Mikaelson/Penelope Park, Hope Mikaelson/Penelope Park/Josie Saltzman, Penelope Park/Josie Saltzman
Comments: 5
Kudos: 65





	Rule of Three

As the taxi pulled to a stop ,Josie squealed with delight, seeing both Hope’s black Porsche and Penelope’s silver Mercedes parked out front. This meant both her girls had finished up work early tonight and were inside waiting for her, as promised.

It had been five wonderful months since her and Penelope asked Hope to be their girlfriend, and it played out even better than Josie had ever imagined. Penelope absolutely doted on Penelope while the petite, auburn haired artist proved to be full of surprises, both in and out of the bedroom. She could be ridiculously sweet – sending Josie affectionate text messages while she was at work and always offering to listen or provide comfort.

Not even two months into their new relationship , Hope had practically moved into the house owned by Penelope’s mom, that the ravenette had been sharing with Josie for the past half year.

Josie had spent the whole two hour flight imagining the evening that was in store for her with the two loves of her life. Hope would probably have some amazing gourmet dish cooked for them, and Penelope would have her favourite dessert ready in the fridge for afterwards. The entire house would be sparkling clean, the bed would be made and dressed with Josie’s favourite throw blanket and pillows (which would undoubtedly be discarded within minutes of them entering the bedroom). Her girls were nothing if not perfectionists. She just couldn't wait to lose herself in their warm embrace for the night.

Josie slipped her key into the front door, immediately being hit with the comforting scent of lavender as she pushed the door inwards. She smiled to herself, elated to finally be home after a long weekend. She was only slightly put out to be met with silence as opposed to her two girls waiting for her in the hallway as she had expected. She shrugged it off, assuming them to be busy in the kitchen.

“Pen? Hope?” Josie called out once she had dumped her luggage and she made her way through the candle lit hallway into the large, marble floored kitchen where the two women sat , at opposite ends of their large dining table. No sign of any meal prepared or served.

She instantly noticed the tension between them, the way Penelope’s eyes were diverted to the floor while Hope just stared into her wine glass. The room instantly felt cold. 

“What’s going on?” She half whispered.

Their eyes both shot up, as though they hadn’t even heard Josie enter. Hope was the first to stand up from the table, but Penelope was the first to speak. “Hi Jojo,” she murmured miserably from where she sat.

“Did you guys get in a fight?”

  
Hope looked from Josie to Penelope. Josie frowned as the pair seemed to be communicating silently with their anxious eyes.

When Penelope spoke up, she had to clear her throat to stop her voice from breaking. “Josie, we can’t do this anymore.”  
Josie quirked an eyebrow, “ _This_ being?”

“Us,” Penelope replied, motioning from her to Josie to Hope with her eyes. “It has gone on too long now.”

Josie thought she had misheard. “I don't understand.”

She glanced over to Hope for an explanation but the auburn haired girl just sank further into her seat.

“There's a reason we don’t know anybody else in a relationship like ours Josie.” Penelope spoke again, rather tonelessly. “Three is a crowd, like everybody says. This isn't working, it hasn't been for a while now.”  
Josie shook her head, trying to ignore the agonizing pain in her chest , as though her heart had been yanked out from it. “Where is this coming from Pen? You know that’s not true! The last few months have been amazing. Relationships like this work because all three parties are equally committed, equally in love.”

“But that’s not really the full truth is it? Dear Hope here let it slip here that her feelings are more weighted towards you,” Penelope let out with a hiss. “I won’t be part of some game to fight for your affection Josie.”

_No_ , Josie’s internal voice protested. That couldn’t be true. She saw how Penelope and Hope doted on each other and how they teamed up to ensure Josie always felt taken care of. Sure they riled each other from time to time, but what healthy couple doesn’t do that? 

She would have noticed if they’d really just been competing for her attention, _right?_

“Hope?”  
The artist just winced slightly in response, her silence confirming what Penelope had just declared. Josie felt like she had just been punched in the chest.

“You see?” Penelope sighed, taking a step closer to Josie.  
Josie struggled to find words. She thought leaving the two alone for the weekend would only bring them closer. How was it that the exact opposite had happened?  
“Maybe it’s just still too early, I mean it’s only been a few months!” Josie tried arguing. “We’re still navigating. We just need more time to get adjusted!”

“I know how much you wanted us to be one big,happy family Josie. But it was never going to work. It’s time to stop playing pretend.” Penelope replied, her tone now emotionless.

Josette could feel her body beginning to shake, an anger she had not felt in years suddenly consuming her. “So you decide to tell me this now? After I come home from my mother’s anniversary weekend? All I wanted to do was come home, and be comforted and loved by the two of you.”

“It wasn’t supposed to happen like this Josie,” Hope mumbled, finally contributing to the conversation.

“Oh really? How was it going to go down Hope? You were going to wait until _after_ dinner?” Josie hissed back brutally. “Were you guys planning to break the news over dessert?”

Penelope let out another sigh from across the table from Hope . “Josie, please don’t lose it with her. I’m the one you should be angry with. I’m the selfish one. I was going to leave, my bags are waiting in the car. Hope wouldn’t let me leave before you came home.”

Josie’s brows furrowed. “You were going to leave?” Penelope couldn’t help but flinch at the sound of hurt in her eyes.

“Jo, I have to. I can’t be here anymore.”  
Josie shook her head at how easy Penelope made it sound. Like she wasn’t walking out of the home they had shared for the past year, before they had even gotten back together. Not to mention that this was Penelope’s house, not Josie’s.  
“Where are you even going to go?”

“I’m going to stay in the office for a few nights.”

“You’re seriously packed?” 

Penelope nodded guiltily. “You can stay here until you find a new place. I won’t come back until you’ve moved out.”

“Penelope Park I could call you a lot of things right now, but I never thought I’d call you a quitter. All the shit your dad put you through- if you leave right now, well, then I guess you are no better than him!”

Josie was sobbing, barely managing to get the words out. Penelope looked away, and tried to keep her voice from cracking.

“I have to go.”  
“Penelope, please!” Josie begged. “Why can’t we talk about this?”  
“Because there’s nothing left to say Josie except goodbye. I hope the two of you are very happy together.”

Her movement from the kitchen table to the island counter where her car keys lay was swift. She barely gave Josie or Hope a final glance as her high heels stormed out of the kitchen. Both girls both left a little shell shocked to try and counter her harsh words of farewell.

They just both looked on helplessly through the large kitchen window as the silver Mercedes zoomed out of the driveway. Josie felt her heart plummet to her feet.

“Jo? Are you okay”

Josie turned her head to look at Hope. The girl, who must have been crying this whole time unnoticed, had grown so pale- Josie was afraid she was going to be sick.

“Do you hate me?” Hope croaked when Josie didn’t answer her first question. “Jo, I’m so sorry this is all my fault. I never wanted this to happen.”

“She’s coming back right?” Josie whispered, almost as though to convince herself. She had dealt with Penelope’s temper tantrums for years. They always blew over eventually.  
So why did this one feel so different?

Surely an hour or two from now, Penelope would arrive back - a large bouquet of apology sunflowers in tow - peppering Josie and Hope with kisses, begging to be forgiven.

_But what if she meant it? What if it’s really over?_ Josie shook her head as though to dismiss the thought from her mind, and wandered aimlessly into the living room to take up residence on one of the white sofas there.

“Josie?” Hope asked from where she awkwardly stood in the doorway. “Are you okay?”  
“Hope, tell me she didn’t mean it,” watery brown eyes meet blue. “Tell me this is all some misunderstanding.”  
Hope’s face crumpled under her words. “Josie, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.”  
“I don’t understand,” Josie mumbled. “Everything was perfect when I left.”

A part of her wanted to be angry with Hope, if this truly was her fault. But how could she? Hope couldn’t help the way she felt. None of them could. 

It was now dawning on her what this all meant. Penelope was expecting for Hope and Josie to continue their relationship without her. Did she really think so little of them?

“Will you stay with me awhile?” Josie asked. Even if she was going to lose both her girlfriends tonight, she could really do with the support of a best friend right now.

Her heart shattered into a million more pieces when Hope shook her head and she turned to go. “Jo, I can’t. It wouldn’t be fair to her. I’m sorry but I should really go.” 

“Hope, no you can’t!” Josie whispered, but Hope was already at the front door, her car keys jingling in her hand. Josie held her breath, waiting for the girl to come to her senses and come back, and maybe then any second Penelope would come charging back inside in her high heels , apologizing for being so stupid.

But all Josie heard was the front door closing and the car engine come to life. She quickly rose from her seat and rushed outside, where Hope’s car was already halfway down the driveway.

“Wait!” She screamed as she chased the car down the driveway, “come back! Please don’t leave me.”

She crumpled to her knees as the black Porsche exited through the gate and vanished from sight. 

Hope hadn't even looked back to say goodbye.

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter is kinda just a prologue. next chapters we will see how the three girls are handling the breakup seperately.


End file.
